The existence of sugar is unavoidable in daily life; sugar is not only essential in food products as a sweetener. It also serves as a flavor enhancer, color and flavor developer, texture influencer, and aids in fermentation. Sugar significantly contributes to flavor, solubility, viscosity, temperature stability, and preservation, specifically in beverages.

Globally, sugar consumption is expected to increase from approximately 176 million metric tons in 2022 to around 180.05 million metric tons in 2024. This rise can be attributed to increased world trade and advancements in agricultural technology, making sugar more affordable and widely available than ever before.

High Sugar Consumption and Its Health Threats

In Indonesia, a significant percentage of the population consumes excessive amounts of sugar, with 4.8% of people consuming more than 50 grams daily. Moreover, 61.27% of individuals aged three years and above consume sweetened beverages multiple times daily. Excessive sugar consumption is linked to various negative health effects, including obesity, tooth decay, and diabetes.

To address the issue of excessive sugar intake, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued guidelines recommending that adults and children limit their daily consumption of free sugars to below 10% of their total energy intake.

Similarly, the Indonesian Ministry of Health advises against consuming more than 50 grams of sugar, 2 grams of sodium, and 67 grams of total fat daily. The purpose is to reduce the risk of hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and heart attacks.

Sugar Reduction as a Challenge for Food and Beverages Industry

Sugar reduction poses a challenge to the food and beverages industry. Finding a replacement for sugar presents challenges in cost, quality, and process. Especially because reducing sugar in beverages can impact taste perception and consumer acceptance.

The food and beverages industry has established targets for reducing sugar in specific product categories. The most effective strategy to face the challenge is by adopting a comprehensive approach to reducing added sugar in food and beverages.

Different sugar reduction methods may be suitable for certain products and consumer groups. However, achieving a significant reduction in sugar without compromising taste perception is a complex technical challenge. Even small reductions in sugar content in widely consumed products can have substantial health benefits for the population.

Nonnutritive sweeteners such as aspartame and acesulfame-K give similar satisfaction to consuming sugar. Therefore, many food and beverage manufacturers opt for nonnutritive sweeteners in lieu of sugar. Moreover, studies found a correlation between consuming nonnutritive sweeteners and weight loss. This is due to the few to zero calories in nonnutritive sweeteners, which naturally help reduce calorie intake.

In beverages, blended nonnutritive sweeteners can also reduce sugar by using synergistic properties to enhance sweetness compared to a single sweetener. These synergistic properties influence temperature, sweetener type, concentration, and beverage viscosity.

Overcoming technical challenges in reducing sugar in beverages involves addressing issues such as decreased sweetness intensity, aftertaste from sweeteners, texture and mouthfeel deficiencies, and flavor instability. Proper ingredient selection, including sweeteners, bulking agents, and texturizers, can provide alternative solutions to these challenges.